A boy was captured on a closed-circuit television camera throwing a cat over a Housing and Development Board (HDB) apartment building.
A video uploaded to Facebook on Thursday, December 15th, saw a small boy following a cat out of an elevator before dragging it up and tossing it over a ledge and off the lift landing. Moments later, a loud impact can be heard.
The cat was thrown from the 22nd storey of Block 186 Boon Lay Avenue, according to the Facebook post.
A police spokesperson confirmed to CNA on Friday that an incident report had been made, and the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), a division of the National Parks Board, stated that an investigation was continuing.
Ms. Jessica Kwok, group director at AVS, requested that members of the public refrain from speculating on the case's specifics and allow investigations to run their course.
Ms. Aarthi Sankar, the executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Singapore, stated that the cat died as a result of its injuries.
She described the boy's behavior as "very troubling" and stated that the SPCA had contacted the boy's home for more inquiry.
She noted that the situation has been referred to the appropriate authorities for action.
The SPCA will collaborate closely with the authorities to investigate the matter and advise the youngster concurrently.
The Cat Welfare Society (CWS) stated in a Facebook post that it assisted the carers in filing a report with AVS and connected them to the investigation officers. CWS stated that it will "continue to engage the authorities on potential course of action options."
Ms. Kwok stated that AVS does not tolerate cruelty of animals. Under the Animal and Birds Act, first-time offenders detected mistreat an animal can be tried in court and sentenced to up to 18 months in jail, a fine of up to S$15,000, or both.
Ms. Kwok said, "Protecting animal welfare is a shared social responsibility. The public may assist by quickly reporting suspected incidences of animal cruelty to AVS on our website at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback or by calling our Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600."
As with any investigations, photographic and/or videographic evidence given by the public will aid the inquiry. The confidentiality of any information provided with AVS is assured."
Ms. Sankar stated, "While examples of animal maltreatment by children are not as prevalent as other types of neglect and abuse, incidents such as this demonstrate the need of teaching children empathy and compassion for all sentient animals from an early age."
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